DNA:
Ahmedabad: Monday, 15 February 2016.
An RTI reply
to a dalit activist’s query has revealed that there has been a significant rise
in crimes against dalits in Gujarat in the last 10 years. Cases of murder and
rape of dalits have registered a 300% increase in the same time period.
The information
that was obtained by dalit activist Kaushik Parmar, a resident of Mehsana, came
from the office of the director general of police (DGP).
In 2004, nine
dalits were murdered, which increased to 27 in 2014. Similarly, 24 dalits were
victims of rape in 2004, which increased to 74 in 2014.
Giving
information, Parmar said, “The state government provides compensation to the
dependents of the dalits who are murdered. In cases of rape, the victims are
compensated. But compensation is not an alternative for justice. In cases of
violation of the Atrocity Act, charge sheet has to be filed within 30 days but
that does not happen. Also the conviction rate in the state is very low.”
Further
Parmar said, “As per the Atrocity Act, a special public prosecutor has not been
appointed. In the SC/ST cell, of the39 posts of DySP, 26 are lying vacant.”
Project
officer of Navsarjan Trust, Kirit Rathod said, “According to the Atrocity Act
Amendment in 2013, the chief minister should hold a review meeting every six
months but even that doesn’t happen. When it is a matter of protecting the
dalits, the prime minister should give directions to all chief ministers to
ensure that review meetings are held every six months in all the states.”
Commenting on
the issue, social justice and welfare minister Ramanlal Vora said, “The latest
figures related to crimes against dalits have just come in. We had a meeting
over this issue and we will have a review meeting with the concerned
authorities in the near future.”
dna tried to
contact Gujarat minister of state for home Rajnikant Patel but he was
unavailable for comments.
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